Development Of HIV/AIDS Vaccine Crucial To Fight Against Pandemic

A recent Washington Postarticle"shed welcome light on how, despite advances in access to AIDStreatment in the developing world, the disease is overwhelming effortsto combat it," Seth Berkley, president and CEO of the AIDS Vaccine Initiative, writes in a Postletterto the editor.

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However, the article "failed to explore how these factsunderscore the imperative for doing everything possible to find a safe,effective vaccine for AIDS," according to Berkley.

He adds thatresearchers have "made significant progress addressing the scientificchallenges to designing an AIDS vaccine" and that more than "30clinical vaccine trials are underway." However, "more must be done toaccelerate this research," including expanding "developing-countryinvolvement" in vaccine research and development; collaborating"creatively to deliver improved vaccine candidates" to trials; securing"sustained funding to overcome the enormous scientific" barriers; anddeveloping "novel incentives to increase private-sector involvement inAIDS vaccine research."

Berkley concludes that the internationalcommunity should "continue to build on current programs but not forgetthat there is no way out of this epidemic without an AIDS vaccine"(Berkley, Washington Post, 6/29).

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